Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest: Fox’s Sean Hannity Drawn Into Trump Legal Saga

(Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore, Creative Commons)
In a remarkable turn of events in a courtroom in Manhattan today, attorneys for embattled Trump fixer Michael Cohen revealed that one of the defendant’s only three clients is none other than Sean Hannity.
Cohen’s defense team tried to prevent the disclosure, but the judge overseeing the initial stages of Cohen’s legal saga—which began after FBI agents raided his office and hotel room—deemed it necessary. The courtroom purportedly “erupted in laughter” according to The Daily Beast.
Political commentators expressed their shock at the bizarre revelation.
I honestly don't know what's happening anymore.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 16, 2018
Hannity could be in for some trouble. He has acted as Trump’s personal advisor and has provided made some of the most vigorous attacks on the Russia investigation among conservative media figures. He also considers himself a journalist, and the fact that he interviewed Cohen, Trump, and other White House officials while suppressing his intimate connections to their orbit breaks basic ethical standards of journalism.
Unbelievably, Hannity has alleged that Cohen’s lawyers lied in court. That itself is a hard lie to promulgate at this point, and calls for Fox News to fire the embattled TV personality have already begun.
Michael Cohen has never represented me in any matter. I never retained him, received an invoice, or paid legal fees. I have occasionally had brief discussions with him about legal questions about which I wanted his input and perspective.
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) April 16, 2018
In one fell swoop, Hannity:
1 Says Cohen lied to a federal court about being his lawyer
2 Says any docs about him the feds seized aren't privileged
3 Makes himself a witness for Mueller
4 Revealed an undisclosed on-air conflict of interest
5 Contradicts what he said on the radio https://t.co/ZznOALMULq— Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) April 16, 2018